Human Dignity

DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
CHILDREN ELDERLY
Regardless of age
WOMEN MEN
Regardless of gender
BUDDHISTS CHRISTIANS
Regardless of religion
WHITES BLACKS
Regardless of Color
POOR RICH
Regardless of Economic Background

FUNDAMENTALLY EQUAL
BUT UNIQUE There is a fundamental equality
among human persons by virtue of
our common dignity as persons.
Equality allows us to take an interest

in everything that is human and to
understand the moral obligations
which inform our common humanity.
However, human persons are

sufficiently diverse so that we must
also take into account the originality
and uniqueness of each person.
This means that while everyone

shares certain common features of
humanity, each one does so
differently and to different degrees.
I.NOTIONS ABOUT HUMAN DIGNITY
I.Human dignity = Person’s

possession of basic rights:
the essential rights to clothing
and shelter;
 the right to free self-expression
within
the context of social cooperation;
 the right to basic equality before
the law.
2. Human Dignity = Basic respect of
persons
the respect that will allow them
to develop their own potential
to make some personal
contribution to common goals
and to feel a home in an
environment within which they
are known and acknowledged.
3.Human Dignity= Human being has a
personal worth
the task of society is to
acknowledge and develop that
worth.
4. Human dignity = emphasizes
that social or biological handicaps
affecting an individual do not
lessen his or her personal worth.
5.Human Dignity= does not admit degrees
and is universal regardless of gender, age,
religion, creed, race or color.
6.Human Dignity= man possessing
freedom and reason, therefore, cannot
be used as an object or as a means for an
end.
II.Human Dignity according to our
Christian Faith
“ God created man in his image, in the

divine image he created him, male and
female, he created them.”
Genesis 1:27
Implications
1. Humans share in the Divine image of
God
◦ We participate in God’s divine Trinitarian
nature and called to belong in the
community of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.
◦ We are called to be in communion with the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit as children of
God.
2. Humans are called to live in
community.
 We are communitarian at our core.
 We are called to live as brothers and
sisters.
 We are called to live in justice and
respect/abide the laws of the

community .
III.BIBLICAL SOURCES OF HUMAN
DIGNITY
Old Testament
1. Exodus story
“I have seen the misery of my people who are in Egypt.
I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.
Indeed, I know their sufferings and I have come down
to deliver the from the Egyptians and to bring them up
out of that land to a good and broad land, a land
flowing with milk and honey.”
Exodus 3:4-8
Implications
 God has pity for human suffering, who
wishes people to be liberated and so live a
life of dignity.
 All forms of enslavement and oppression are
a mockery of God’s will as creator of
humanity in his own image.
 Human suffering is not the will of God, but
rather something which must be abolished.
 God’s will is done on earth when the
conditions for truly humane existence are
created.
2. Story of the Prophets
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes;
cease to do evil, learn to do good: seek justice, rescue
the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the
widow.”
Isaiah 1:15-17
Implications
True worship of Yahweh is to help unburden
the poor from their oppression.
Goods of creation is for the use of everyone,
not only for the few.
Power is for the benefit of promoting justice
and the common good.
New Testament
1.Gospels
“The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has
anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has
sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of
sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free and
to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”
Luke 4:18-19
Jesus anchored the proclamation of the
Gospel for the liberation of the poor...
(slaves, laborers, sinners, women, children)
 His proclamation of the Kingdom is not
about an authoritarian and tyrannical
authority.
 He draws on the prophetic hopes of a just
king who could mediate the justice of God.
 The image of the Kingdom of God implies an
environment in which good can flourish and
in which every human being can find peace,
justice and freedom.
 He proclaimed a blessing for those who are deprived:
 “Blessed are you who are poor, for the
kingdom of God is yours.
 Blessed are you, who are now hungry, for you will be
satisfied.
 Blessed are you, who are now weeping for you will
laugh...” (Luke 6:20-22)
 He sacrificed his life for our salvation which
only shows our worth as children of God.
IV.HUMAN RIGHTS AND
DIGNITY
Human rights may be defined as those
fundamental rights of man essential for the
exercise of human dignity.
The rights are to things, powers or priveleges to

which individuals have a just claim or are
entitled to under the natural law as a
consequence of being human
Human rights belong to human beings not
because any government grant these to them.
Two kinds of Rights:
Natural- rights that human nature confer to the

person.
Legal- rights spelled out by positive national and
international laws.
V.HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS OF
THE HUMAN PERSON
THE HUMAN PERSON
THE HUMAN PERSON
THE HUMAN PERSON
THE HUMAN PERSON
THE HUMAN PERSON
ACTIVITY
How are these rights violated?
Give examples of human rights

violation in the Philippines.
Looking at the prophets and Jesus as

examples, how can we promote human
rights in your community? 3 feasible
actions...

Human Dignity

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Human Dignity

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Human Dignity

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Regardless of Economic Background

Equality allows us to take an interest

However, human persons are

This means that while everyone

I.Human dignity = Person’s

“ God created man in his image, in the

respect/abide the laws of the

“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

The rights are to things, powers or priveleges to

Two kinds of Rights:

Natural- rights that human nature confer to the

Give examples of human rights

Looking at the prophets and Jesus as

You might also like